Melbourne artist Peter Wegner wins this year’s Archibald Prize, while in lockdown

As the iconic prize turns 100, a portrait of artist Guy Warren – who also turns 100 this year – has won the 2021 Archibald Prize, while an Aboriginal artist takes the Wynne Prize for the fifth consecutive year.

Melbourne artist Peter Wegner has taken out Australia’s most celebrated art prize – the Archibald. His painting of fellow artist Guy Warren has been chosen by the Gallery Trustees in a year when both prize and artist celebrate their 100th anniversaries.

With Wegner stuck in Melbourne because of lockdown, he said of his win via video-link: ‘It is so much easier when you have a great face; a great model … to live for a 100 years and still have a sense of purpose, of curiosity.’

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Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's National Visual Arts Editor. For a decade she worked as a freelance writer and curator across Southeast Asia and was previously the Regional Contributing Editor for Hong Kong based magazines Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. Prior to writing she worked as an arts manager in America and Australia for 14 years, including the regional gallery, biennale and commercial sectors. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Twitter: @ginafairley Instagram: fairleygina